Saturday, November 30, 2013

Happy Saturday! It's my delight to be sharing a project over at My Craft Spot today. I made these fun little cards to spread some Christmas cheer!

The sweet little reindeer are from Create a Critter and they're adhered to a mat cut from Elegant Edges which is layered on the card base. I faux stitched around the card base . The top layer of the mat was embossed with my Cuttlebug to add some fun snowflakes to the background. To add a bit more interest to my reindeer, I covered their little red noses with Glossy Accents and gave each a festive bow made with My Craft Spot's Christmas Candy Cane baker's twine.

Have you checked out My Craft Spot's challenge this week? It's a Christmas shape card challenge. Click HERE to see all the design team inspiration and then link up your own shaped Christmas card for a chance to win this week's prize: the NEW Jar Full of Christmas stamp set!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Happy Saturday! I'm pleased to be sharing a project over at My Craft Spot today - and am sharing it here on my blog too! These little sour cream containers are so quick and easy to put together and make a wonderful alternative to a bow on a gift. I've also made a number of pouches to put on my colleagues desks as a special Christmas treat - with Lindt chocolate balls tucked inside. (Of course, I always sample them to be sure they're good... and they are!! Still, perhaps I should try another just to be certain.)

To put these pouches together, I used patterned paper cut to 6x6. (Click HERE for a tutorial on how to make these pouches.) I used My Craft Spot's Jingle All the Way stamp set for my Merriest Wishes sentiment. The tags and scalloped shadows were then punched with Stampin' Up punches. The little stamped candy cane is from the same set. So cute!

Be sure to check out the My Craft Spot shop HERE. There are 14 different Christmas stamp sets from which you can choose!

I've been wondering whether or not to add the Silhouette Cameo to my Christmas wish list. I've seen so many amazing projects created with the Silhouette so am really starting to feel I "need" one!! My talented friend, Linda, has a Silhouette giveaway going on over at her wonderful blog, The Paper Boutique. I've got my fingers crossed - but I'd also be excited if you entered and won too!

Monday, November 18, 2013

We're moved! We still haven't found a house so are staying with my mum temporarily. Last week was INSANE with all the final tasks involved with selling a home and moving. I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life!! Somehow, we managed to get everything done AND I was able to get caught up on grading papers for my students. I hope to visit some blogs by the end of the week. I'm in desperate need of some creative inspiration!!

We're having a sketch challenge at My Craft Spot this week. I was able to make my project a few weeks ago. It's the last thing I put together before packing up my craft room. It wasn't very hard to put together and I LOVE the way it turned out - all thanks to Kimberly's products at My Craft Spot!!

Here's the sketch:

I started with a standard card base (the card does open up) and then cut mats for the front - in white and patterned paper. I made a pocket using coordinating paper and used the NEWMy Craft SpotSnowflake Border metal die to create the lovely snowflake border. I added some silver glitter dots to the middle of each snowflake.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

I'm sharing a card over at My Craft Spot today and am posting it here on my blog too. Each Christmas and summer, I create a card for my youngest son's crossing guard. I actually made this card last Christmas but didn't post it.

The STOP sign was created on my Gypsy with George and Basic Shapes and Going Places. I added a little red gem to the top of the sign to mimic the flashing red light on the real thing. The sweet little snowman is from Hello Kitty Greetings. I added a bit of super fine glitter to his hat scarf and hat. After rounding the bottom corners of my card, I used a red marker to "stitch" along the edges.

The sentiment at the bottom of my card is from My Craft Spot's Think Snow stamp set. I also created a little tag using My Craft Spot's Tiny Tags metal dies. I love the variety of little tags in this set. I choose a scalloped shadow and the little white top layer comes out with a stitched look. Love it! On the tag, I stamped a fun little tree from My Craft Spot's Stamping All Around Christmas set. I finished everything off with some Candy Cane baker's twine. It's perfect for Christmas projects!

WINNER

I am SO sorry that this announcement comes so late. Thanks to all of you who left such kind comments for me during last week's My Craft Spot Stamp Release Blog Hop. I had meant to post the winner of the metal dies on Monday but have been beyond preoccupied with our upcoming move. We move on Friday and still haven't found a home that we're happy with - so will be staying with my mum for a bit. I've also just had a set of essays turned in (I know, bad timing on my part!). I'm afraid that my blogging will be rather limited for the next couple of weeks. Anyway, a visit to Random.org has revealed that the winner of the Ribbon Banners - Arched metal dies is Kim from Kim's Kreations. Congratulations Kim!! Please email me with your shipping details so I can arrange for your prize to be posted.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

It's time for the My Craft Spot Stamp Release Party Blog Hop! Woo hoo! Each day this week, we've been sharing some sneak peeks of projects made with the FIVE new stamp sets and THREE new sets of metal dies. Today, Kimberly will make the full reveal!! Just head over to My Craft Spot to see all the wonderful new products!! Plus, we're celebrating the fun with a blog hop - and there are prizes at EACH stop along the way!

For my project, I created a card using the NEWJoy Filled Christmas stamp set. I just love this set! It's a wonderful combination of traditional and fun sentiments all rolled into a package of elegantly designed stamps.

After cutting my card base and mats, I used a corner rounder for the top corners. I then used a Cuttlebug folder to emboss snowflakes on the top mat. Using Christmas Solutions, I cut the sign from metallic silver cardstock. I then stamped the wonderful sentiment using Stampin' Up's Cherry Cobbler ink to match the Cherry Cobbler cardstock I'd used as a shadow. The lovely flourish under the sentiment is from the Tickets stamp set.

Under the sentiment, I added a few punched leaves and berries covered with Glossy Accents. I finished everything off with some luscious Toadally Green crinkle ribbon tied in a double bow.

I'm delighted to be giving away one of the NEWRibbon Banners - Arched metal dies, thanks to Kimberly. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Sunday night at midnight. I'll announce the winner on Monday, November 4.

The next stop along the way is a visit to the incredibly talented Heather of Houses Built of Cards. In case you've missed some stops, here's the list of blogs on the hop:

Friday, November 1, 2013

It's the last day of the My Craft Spot Stamp Release Party sneak peeks. Each day, we've been sharing projects made with the FIVE new stamp sets and THREE new sets of metal dies. The fun will continue tomorrow though as Kimberly will make the full reveal of ALL the new products - AND there will be a blog hop with prizes at EACH stop along the way too!

Today, we're sharing projects created with the fun NEWChristmas Friends & Neighbors stamp set. I go insanely overboard with my Christmas baking each year so know I'll get a lot of use out of this new set! This stamp release party was just the thing to get me started (although it doesn't take much)!

I created a fun little gift bag full of oatmeal chocolate chip drop cookie dough. I even went so far as to roll each portion so it's just a matter of baking and enjoying! Using a Sizzix die, I cut the little envelope to hold the baking instructions. I used Tickets metal dies to cut the little ticket to use as a tag and then stamped the frame using Tickets stamp set. The fun sentiment is from the NEWChristmas Friends & Neighbors stamp set. I heat embossed the border and sentiment in order to match the festive patterned paper I used for the envelope.

I finished everything off with with some red ribbon, Cherry Red bakers twine and two little red bells for some extra Christmas cheer!

Be sure to head over to My Craft Spot to see the wonderful creations made by the rest of the design team. While you are there, don't forget to leave a comment for Kimberly for your chance to win today's prize: Christmas and Valentine's Mix baker's twine!

I'll see you tomorrow for the blog hop! PLUS, Kimberly will have everything ready for purchase too! Yippee!

About Me

My wonderful husband and I were blessed with three wonderful
children. Our daughter is studying midwifery at university and our two boys are still at home. My heart was broken in June 2017 when I lost my husband to esophageal cancer. He was my soulmate and very best friend.

I am employed as an Accessibility Advisor (Learning Strategist) at our local university, ensuring that students with disabilities are provided fair access to learning and assessments
as they fulfill their dreams of obtaining post-secondary education. I am an active volunteer with
our local chapter of Autism Ontario and am a strong supporter of the Kawartha Komets, our local special needs hockey program. When I do find free time, I love
to use small bits of paper to create cards of all sorts.